Inconsequential Issues
by Wicked R
Summary: the gang tries to help an ailing Angel. Alternate ending to my other fic, Report. The first chapter is the same.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Inconsequential Issue  
Author: Wicked R  
Disclaimers: characters belong to Mutant Enemy. No copyright breach is intended.  
Bare in mind, it's just for fun.  
Genre: Angst, h/c, traditional sickfic.  
Rating: G  
Set: early season 3 AtS, before "Once More with Feeling", BtVS.

Summary: the gang tries everything to help an ailing Angel. Alternate ending to my other fic, Report. First chapter is the same.  
Pairing: A/C, with reference to A/B.  
Warning: not beta read. English is not my first language, so be kind.  
Note: my mind only functions one particular way. But honest, I'll try to retrain my mind in some other way too.

Gunn was reading up the Lawndale Local for the others in the lobby, "a 20-year-old woman headed home at 3 a.m. from a night bazaar where she had a job washing dishes. At sunrise, a neighbour discovered her dead body on the building's stairs. The failure of LAPD to catch the culprits was also clearly exposed by a mob of murderers in the central area. Their modus operandi is to break into houses using battering rams. Once inside, they practically butcher the residents. In addition, the bunch of criminals puzzled the police force with a startlingly effortless trick. "The killers changed shoes for each crime," revealed criminal investigator Wang, "the treads police collected didn't correspond." I smell vampires in that area. What do you think, is it worth checking out?"

"Definitely, we should check out all newly rented houses with lots of blinds or curtains, and with a sewer access. It will probably be a family group, Sire and many Childe. I assume we still have the list of the houses to rent in that area, don't we Cordy?"

"We best go in daylight," said Gunn.

"So, we can count for two suspicious houses, you check out nr 343, I can get to nr 7 easily through the sewers. Meet you there."

The first address was a wrong lead. The residents were not all there, but some of the kids were playing outside. It was time to catch up with Angel. Wes was parking the convertible into the virtually empty residential parking lot and killed the engine. The residents must've all been at work at this time of day. They all heard the bell ring, but there was no answer, not even when Gunn started shouting for attention. They walked along the edge of the house, but seen no movement. There was an undersized porch on the rear and the door there stood open a crack. Cautiously they stepped up and pushed back the door. They did a brief examination of the area and found it empty of life. It had two floors and almost certainly a cellar as well. The floor, definitely, and the rest of the house was completely dark. The next room was the kitchen. The cooker was cold, no stench of any variety. The other rooms were closets, they were basically overly small to have been anything else.

"Nothing's here," Gunn stepped over an overturned chair.

"That looks like the basement door," pointed Fred.

They jumped back as they saw the door slowly open much to their shock, and an exhausted and battered looking Angel came staggering out, "I'm finished with them," he let them know. With no forewarning, his legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees.

---------------

"Where's Angel?" asked Wes.

"He is still asleep," answered Cordelia from behind the desk.

"Sleeping? It's 3 in the afternoon. Hope he doesn't do strange dreams again."

"I am a bit worried myself. But not about that. He is sleeping, really sleeping this time, because he is tired I think. Did you notice that he heals slower than he used to? For instance, when he was in Sunnydale?"

"Hmm…not sure. He was hiding his pain back then. Now he is more comfortable showing it."

"Nnno. I think there is something wrong. I saw him working out yesterday. He got tired in like…ten minutes."

"You must be exaggerating. And maybe his injuries were more internal than we thought."

"And how do you explain the fact that he got so beaten by four rookie vampires?"

"Who knows? Maybe they were karate masters in life."

"Wesley. You are making excuses so you don't see the obvious."

"Nothing is obvious Cordelia. I will keep an eye on things anyway."

"Thanks Wes, but I will talk to him about it now, and not when it's maybe too late."

"Cordy?" Angel came down the stairs, "I…I heard you. And…yes, I assume there is something I need to tell you…something I should've told you a while ago."

"We are all ears," put her hands on her hips Cordelia, "are you in trouble?"

"I must tell you this, because one day you might be endangered by a sudden weakness of mine…"

"And that is the only reason you should tell us? And not because we are your friends and we will help each other through difficulties?"

"Cordelia," interrupted her Wesley, "let him speak."

"Yes, ok. One can defend her right for opinion though?"

"Cordelia is actually spot on again," admitted Angel. "I should have told you this the first time it really ended me in trouble. You remember Trepkos?"

"Who's Trepkos?" asked Fred.

"Demon. Trapped in a cage with dozens of others that were made to fight each other in a ring. Angel was in there too," clarified Cordelia.

Angel nodded, "just an ordinary demon like him doesn't usually end up knocking me out several times. We are at least equal at strength."

"So what happened?"

"This thing…I don't know exactly what it is. It makes me weak. Mostly for a few minutes, but in the last time it can last hours. In fact, this is the first time I feel it going on for days. Well, no. It's been coming and going for the last few days. It is why, as you so accurately pointed out, I was almost defeated by rookies…"

"Would you finally spit it out?!" Cordelia was on the edge.

"It is not easy to speak about this…because it is so weird, I didn't really believe it at first. I get strange feelings. Well, not feelings, more like stomach cramps. Pain. And I…sometimes get sick. I don't know why. I checked the foodstuff, it seems fine."

"Aha," said Gunn thoughtfully, "when we first talked. When we cornered you with the gang. Just a bunch of kids with no real ideas of the capabilities of vampires. Later on, when I thought about it, it seemed a bit unreal."

"Yes. You are right."

"For God's sake, Angel!" cried out Cordelia, "there were numerous accounts when this mattered and you said nothing!"

"So far, it only endangered me."

"And you think you are entitled to that, huh? A regular exercise you like? Stretching the truth?"

"I swear, Cordelia, it wasn't big deal so far. A bit of discomfort here and there. I didn't think much of it. But nowadays…"

"When did this start? At least tell the truth about that now! About the time Wesley joined us?"

"No. It was back in Sunnydale. After I came back from Hell. Around Christmas time, was when I first felt it, I'm quite sure. I thought it has something to do with the First playing with my head. But it doesn't."

"Was it ever investigated?" asked Wesley, "what did Giles think of it?"

"Giles? Nothing. I never told anyone. I never told Buffy."

"The prom," sighed Cordelia.

"The prom?"

"The prom. We danced once on the prom, remember? Half a dance? I asked you if you were feeling ok, because you lost your balance a couple of times. You said you were exhausted of a fight and I took you aside to sit down."

"Yes, I remember. And yes, you are right again."

"Uff. And Buffy did not see any of that? When she was with you a lot? I knew there was something wrong with you."

"She was…she was busy. There was the slaying, allowing her mother see what she was doing in reality, trying to get the others to give me one bit of chance, her life choices, college, me…"

"Yeeh, right. Is love blind or what? I mean you. She is an egoistic bitch. And people pretend it's me instead."

"Cordelia. You know I don't see her…like...the white…since that thing in LA with Faith. Can we maybe not talk about this part?"

"Angel is right," intercepted Wesley, "we need to figure out what this thing is and help him."

--------------

The noise of the hardly ever sleeping city of LA calmed down in Cordy's not so peaceful as advertised neighbourhood towards the morning and now she could really enjoy being sound asleep. When the phone rang, she jerked awake, startled by the ringing. But before she even turned on the light, Dennis handed her the receiver.

"Hallo?" She made the person at the other end know she was there.

"Cordelia?" came Angel's unsure voice from the phone.

"Um, well, you call Cordelia, at the middle of the night, you call Cordelia, what do you get? Not so happy Cordelia!"

"Sorry, I…I'll maybe call Wesley."

"You woke me up already," Cordelia had just remembered that Angel had just told them a few days before he wasn't that strong nowadays he had usually been, "are you all right?"

"Um…I don't know what to do. Nothing seems to help."

"I'll be over as soon as possible," Cordelia jumped up, worried. Since Angel had told them about his problems, they hadn't been able to pinpoint the cause.


	2. Unknown Territory

Angel couldn't understand why he felt so miserable either. Of course, it could've been another curse just like Dru's when Spike first brought her to Sunnydale, but it didn't feel like it. He groaned as he felt his stomach churn, turned to the side and began vomiting. He was so occupied with his sufferings that he didn't even notice Cordelia arriving until he felt soothing hands rubbing his back and helping him through the spell. Even with all that, he still noted how surprised he was about that. Not only because she was there so fast and that he didn't hear her come in, but also because the Cordelia he remembered would've run a mile from anything that wasn't completely for princesses' noses. Angel clutched a handful of the bedcovers till the heaves finally let up, although his stomach continued to cramp tenaciously.

Cordelia had become very alarmed about Angel's apparent turn for the worse. She was happy she called Wesley as well on her way to the hotel, but she wasn't sure what he could do for their boss either. Cordelia gripped the wet cloth, and Angel flinched as it came in contact with his sore belly. Cordelia did her best to sooth him through the pain, but unfortunately her touch could do little to alleviate the pain.

Angel's grip tightened on the bed as his stomach twisted, "Cordelia" he pleaded, "I feel s…so rotten."

"Oh, Angel I wish so much that I could make it stop," Cordelia answered, her voice full of compassion, "Wesley and Gunn will be here soon," she said, wondering again what the two men could do in these circumstances, but she certainly didn't have any good ideas yet, "I'm so sorry, " she shook her head, "I promise I won't leave you," she said, this time pleading for a vision from the Powers That Be that would tell her how to help Angel. But before she could have one, or her colleagues could arrive, Angel found himself undergoing one more distressing spell of vomiting that further weakened his already worn out body. Cordelia was scared that he was dying by some unknown poison and wished Wesley there again so she can push him to make another blood test.

Right enough, Wesley and Gunn entered the room together in a few minutes time to see Angel's back turned to them, his body shuddering with the force of each heave. The scene was disheartening, and Wesley got to work right away, while Gunn lifted Angel from the bed, disregarding his objections, and the two changed the mucky bed linen. Wesley had just returned from downstairs, reporting that once again, there weren't any signs of poison or any reason why Angel should feel the way he did, when Angel experienced another wave of stomach cramps. He squeezed his eyes shut, a groan escaped his lips in spite of his best efforts not to scream.

"I'm here," Cordelia soothed.

Angel shook his head in reply to Cordelia's comments. He was unable to talk while the cramping continued.

"Is there nothing we can do?" Cordelia asked the other two.

"I could get some tranquillisers," Wesley offered, "but that of course wouldn't solve the problem. Look, I tested for every weakness of vampires and found no garlic, silver or helium particles in his blood whatsoever. All points to the fact that his life is not in danger over this."

Cordelia felt Angel's body loosen beneath her hands. She knew that it meant Angel was experiencing relief, for the time being at least. She took that opportunity to went her anger on Wesley, "but we don't know what's going on! What I want to know is what do you intend to do about it? Contact the Council, Lorne, get Buffy, fond out if Wolfram and Hart have anything to do with it and no matter what if they can help, go through trials, whatever! Come on, Wesley, do something!" she shouted with her eyes flashing, stance fierce, ready to fight. As always, no chance she would take the opposite choice of flight. So determined she was in fact amazed herself how infuriated and concerned she was getting over Angel.

"I promise you, I have already done all that I am capable of," Wesley assured her, "the Counsel wouldn't do anything, you know as well as I do and I…"

"I have an idea," Gunn intercepted, "obviously we can't take him to a hospital, but I know of a small surgery we can take him to. Remember Wesley when you were almost bleeding to death at the shelter? Anne didn't want to take the chance anymore. Things can happen with those kids all the time and they have no insurance, so she thought of buying a lot of medicines and equipment. And the student nurse who is a volunteer there used to belong to my vampire killing gang. I'm sure she wouldn't mind…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The same pain marred Angel's face as he grimaced when Monica, Gunn's old buddy had him lay down on the examination bed. The young Latino was running a scanner over his belly, examining the vampire reluctantly. She just about got over the fact that Gunn assured her this vampire was a noble one, but the anatomy she really wasn't sure about. Not to mention she was only in her second year at college. Angel had remained quiet, letting the woman prod him. He'd submitted himself to whatever tests she considered as necessary, concentrating on holding back the pain that his illness and the prodding itself caused him.

Finally, Monica shook her head, "I can give you some painkillers, and I think we should set up an iv to give him blood. Other than that, this is beyond me. I'm sorry. I could maybe treat him as if he was human? In that case, we should get that inflammation down somehow."

"Do you have the provisions?" Wesley asked.

"Yes. But I would prefer if he got it on a continuous drip, not one shot. I want him to stay in here also to see how he responds to the treatment. We have blinds."

"I'll stay with him," Cordelia offered and lifted Angel's head up to put a pillow under it, while Monica went to the medicine cabinet.

"Cordy?" Although the voice was definitely Angel's, it was barely above a sigh. He attempted to sit up.

"I'm here, Angel. You take it easy," Cordy sat on the bed next to her friend and put back the compresses that Monica also thought were a good idea. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it sympathetically, "go do something, Wesley. Go to Wolfram and Hart."

"You'll probably feel some ease in a few minutes," Monica finished setting up the iv, "I'm afraid I have a whole lot of patients are waiting for me out there in the shelter. I'll come back in the afternoon," the undergraduate picked up her papers.

With everybody gone and Angel drifting off to sleep from the drugs, Cordy also fell asleep with her head resting on his arm.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy stepped down the stairs of the Hyperion lobby, avoiding the pile of books that were standing in her way. The place looked like the library in the old Sunnydale High School when Giles was at heavy research, "nice area, nice spacious place. Reminds of Angel's old mansion," she addressed Wesley and bent down and to collect some documents spread around on the floor.

"What are you doing here?" the ex watcher asked as he jolted from his desk, took the papers off her and started shuffling through them.

"Angel said I could come any time…when we met a couple of month ago?"

"Angel's in hospital," Wesley put down the papers, only just realising who he was speaking to.

"What??! Is he…?"

"Human? No. We don't know what's wrong. It's a private…kind of treatment centre he's been in for the last few days. He's not sick and in pain all the time anymore, but he is very weak and relapses without constant medication. But slayer blood could help. Not sure, but we could try," Wesley grabbed his coat, "why are you here anyway?" he shoed her out the door again.

The Slayer shrugged, "it can wait," she was certain she didn't want to tell her formal watcher or anybody other than somebody else back from the dead how she felt and how she came for solace and guidance from Angel.

----------------------------------------

Buffy uneasily entered the room Angel was in. He was sleeping, his hand loosely wrapped around Cordelia's.

The Seer rose her head and turned her face towards the entrance. Her eyes lit up as she saw the slayer's form in the doorway, "you're here," she said, breathing a sigh of relief. She slid her hand cautiously out of Angel's grip and inched away from him, hoping she wouldn't wake him up. The vampire moved a little, muttering something unidentifiable, but then he lay motionless again and stayed quiet. Cordelia tiptoed her way out, taking the bewildered Buffy with her, "that's very good, the transfusion kit is already in place. You stay out here, it will be easier for him if he doesn't know in advance he is going to get blood from you. We'll just change his blood bag up there with yours," she addressed Buffy as if they had spoken just yesterday, "Monica!" she turned to a young woman who just looked up from some forms she's been filling, "this is the person we've been talking about."

"Hi, are you ready for the procedure?" the newcomer chirped in.

Buffy nodded in confusion and she was led to another bed. As she lay down she could through the open door that Angel was moving slightly, "Cordelia…Cordelia? Where are you?"

"Coming," Cordelia left them entering Angels' room again, taking hold of his hand and placing a kiss on his forehead, "I'm here for you darling, always. I'll stay for as long as you need me to."

Wesley raised his eyebrows, surprised. Cordelia had mostly only expressed friendship towards the vampire before and this sounded more than that.

Buffy didn't notice his reaction, she was too busy with staring at the two people in the other room herself, not to mention the needle she was attached to. Her face went white and it wasn't because of the blood loss. She couldn't believe what was happening. If she wasn't used to holding back her emotions big time since she came back from heaven, she would've cried. She looked on as her old classmate took Angel's head in her lap. He responded by turning to the side and nestling in. Why were they doing this? She couldn't stand to see them anymore. Didn't want more suffering in her life. She had enough of it herself, there was no need to add to it. As the woman she assumed was a nurse took the needle out of her, she jumped up and scampered, "let me know how he is Wes."

"Please have something to drink at least!" Monica shouted after her, but it was in vain.

---------

"Are you were feeling better?" Cordelia asked Angel as the drip with Buffy's blood finished empting its contents into Angel's veins.

"Yeah," he answered hoarsely. Although his eyes were getting droopy again, his belly felt all right. He didn't know why he got better all of a sudden and he was going to ask Cordelia later. After he sleeps the remains of this illness off, or whatever it was. In fact he was going to ask Cordelia a lot of things. Even some things that she won't be able to reply to with only words.

The End.


End file.
